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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Do you remember last week how I told you about the time I fell on the playground? This week I thought I would tell you about a few of my other fall adventures. When I was four I went to pre-school at a catholic church. The boys always climbed a fence and were always told not to. Well I was not going to be outdone by a stinky old boy. So I climbed the fence. But guess what? I fell on the top of the fence. So what do you think, did I cry like a girl? Nope, I kept my mouth shut. I got on my little school van and went home. As soon as the van pulled away I showed my mom. I needed a few stitches for that one. I still have a little scar on the inside of my arm to remind me of that day. When we lived in Germany I bought a beautiful shelf. A shelf that was hard to get up my staircase. I had help by my landlord who only spoke English. Half way up the stairs something happened and it got dropped on the front of my leg ripping the skin off. Finally we made it up the stairs and into the apartment. Later that evening I was re arranging furniture. The piece I needed to move was a big cabinet with our fish tank on top. I started trying to move it but it would not budge so I turned around and thought okay I can move it with my back. The only problem was…. You guessed it I slipped and ripped all the skin off my backbone. At that point I just collapsed onto the ground in sobs. I was tired of being hurt, I was tired of my husband not being home and honestly I was just tired. Within a few seconds my precious baby boy (now over 6 foot tall) walked over (shirtless) and pulled what little skin his skinny chest had for me to use as a tissue to wipe my tears. I love my son. So fast forward to 2009. My husband was gone (doesn’t it seem like he is always gone). I got the kids in bed and was just about to go to bed. I started getting dressed when I realized my toilet was overflowing. I took off running through the house (pant less) to the hallway bathroom where we kept the plunger. It was not there, so I ran into my son’s bathroom. There was my first mistake running. As soon as I hit the tile in his bathroom I hit water and fell in the doorway. I remember the back of my head hitting the counter and my legs and knees knocking everything it could. Is this where I tell you somehow he had a good inch of water in his floor. Every time I tried to get up I would fall again and feel something else hurting. He had a jack and Jill bathroom. Which means that it was between his room and the girl’s room? I screamed for my son to help me. No response. He honestly was not 6 feet from me. I screamed again and again and again. It finally dawned on me that I could just drag myself to the carpet in his room. I finally made it into the living room. I spent the rest of the night in my chair. I just knew I could not go to sleep and it hurt to bad to get up and go get pain meds. I am the queen of falling. I fell a few months ago trying to put my crock pot away. Breaking my precious crock pot. Do you fall? If you fall do you tell anyone? PamelaOh I just thought about another fall. in 2008 I fell in my kitchen on some water. I iced my knee for weeks. I found out a year later that I actually tore something when I fell and had to have surgery. Again, I did not tell anyone I fell that time because of course my husband was GONE.

Monday, May 30, 2011

I think I have found a new favorite cupcake. Have you heard of a Neapolitan cupcake? I learned about them at Hoosier Homemade. They were so easy to make. And it was neat watching people bite into them and discover what they were. I will definitely make them again. I think next time I will serve it with matching ice cream.
1. Mix a chocolate, white and strawberry cake mix in different bowls.

2. Pour some (maybe a tablespoon) of each into each pan.

3. bake according to box directions

Seriously it is that easy, now you can choose your topping. I think she reccomends cool whip which would have been better if I was not going to be outside.
Pamela

I am not scared of much but ask me to get my teeth cleaned and I can not remember my own name. I have a new dentist and she suggested I be knocked out for my teeth cleaning. I was a little nervous because I had seen other people walk in with assistance because you start the sedation at home. I arrived the morning of my cleaning and guess what I was not out of it. So I took the time to take some pictures of myself. I love that this doctor totally pampers you. They have a foot messager in the waiting room. They cover you with a blanket when you arrive.

I needed a tooth pulled so while I was out I had them pull a tooth. When I woke up I had a very annoying thing in my mouth. It was a stitch that was supose to dissolve. It took 6 days and I finally helped it out. I could not get over how big it was. So I took a picture, isn't that what bloggers do?Pamela

Have you ever gotten a background check done? I have done it on many military posts before. But, on post you just feel out a form and assume it came out clean. I am going to start doing respite care soon. Respite care is when you have a child with disabilities of some type. Grace got it when she was younger. I have a friend who get’s respite hours. So I am signing up to be her provider. The first step is to get a back ground check. I was so nervous. No idea why. My husband drove me to the court house. It was a horrible day to be outside because it was raining like crazy and the lightning was scary. But I wanted to get it done while he was home so I did not have to take kids in with me. I arrived at the court house and found the closest entrance and ran as fast as I could. I still walked in wet. I went through security and found the appropriate office. I have no clue why I was so nervous. Really I was feeling silly for being so nervous. The lady handed me a paper to fill out. I handed it back with my out of state driver’s license. Handed her my money order and within about 2 minutes I saw her notarize a piece of paper and hand it to me. I asked if that was my background check and she assured me it was. I said thank you and commented on how fast that was. She almost laughed at me and said “mam, you have no record”. OH YEAH! I guess I do not. Why had I not thought about that? I did get a speeding ticket a few years ago. I have no idea what I was expecting but it was not to be in and out of the court house in ten minutes and that is only because I had to walk across the building.So again I ask, have you ever had a back ground check and were you intimidated? What intimidates you? I should have taken a picture of me with my background check.Pamela

Sunday, May 29, 2011

When my boys were helping a elderly couple clean up there yard after the recent tornado my husband found a splinter. He called me and said he was bringing home a splinter. This is a picture of a splinter from a tree. I think it really showed me how strong the storm was

1. Today my husband is away with the Army. I am trying not to complain that they took my hero away on a four day weekend. Especially since he really only needs to be there for one day. 2. Today I am forcing my kids to do school. The good thing about homeschooling is I do not have to take a holiday off when everyone else does. I can also spend the day explaining why we have this holiday. 3. Today I am going to put away my laundry because I feel so much better when it is put away. 4. Putting away laundry is my least favorite job. 5. Today I get to fix curtains for my mom and hopefully make an apron for a friend. 6. Today I will take time to remind my children of what this day means. I will not sugar coat what our soldiers have done for us. Pamela

Today I feel blessed. I feel blessed that my husband is not deployed. I feel blessed that we have survived 7 deployments. Today my heart is aching for a couple of families. It is aching for Mrs. P I am praying for Jack. Today is memorial day and I plan on spending time in prayer. Time for the families who have lost soldiers and time for the soldiers and spouses of soldiers who do not come home the same. Rather they come home physically injured or mentally injured. More soldiers come home with PTSD then we realize. Today I will honor the uncle I have never met who was killed in Vietnam. I will pray for the children of the fallen. I encourage you to visit your local Veterans home this week. Take a moment to tell your kids why we are free. I am so grateful that our children are growing up in a free country and feel safe. I also feel it is my duty to explain to them how that is.Pam

Saturday, May 28, 2011

I let the battery die on my camera so these are not great pictures. But too cute not to pass up. First, Hope was so excited to find a dead lizard in the backyard one morning. The only problem is she would not leave the thing alone. All day she was playing with this dead lizard. Finally daddy came home and they disected it.

Every time I go grocery shopping I buy a large bag of baby carrots. Between the guinea pigs and the gerbil and three little girls they do not last long. The other day I was giving the girls carrots and found this HUGE carrot. I wonder it how it made it through the machine.

Friday, May 27, 2011

1. Do you think civilians, in general, understand the meaning of Memorial Day? No way, I think they say they do but do not. I think most military do not know the real meaning of the day.2. What are your plans for the Memorial Day Weekend? My husband is not deployed, but the Army has decided he needs to leave at 4AM on Sunday for a conference. So today he took the kids fishing and then he is cleaning out the garage and working on yard work3. What skill/talent do you wish you had? submitted by The 3 Turners I would love to be able to sing, I love singing but the people around me look at me like I am some wild animal.4. Which came first: the chicken or the egg? submitted by I Married Into The Army hmmm, seriously probably the chicken5. What is the best thing about your post (base)? The worst? submitted by Randomly, Robyn That my husband is home right now would be the best. I have yet to find anything possible. Please know that I have never disliked any place until here. My daughter calls it Fort Ragg and we do not correct her

1. If I could get away somewhere for the weekend I would go to a amusement park and I would bring I would love to say my kids and hero but honestly I would give anything to have time away with my hero.2. Something I often rant about is Oh man this is hard because I had a rough week and would love to set here and gossip. But instead I am going to be a adult and complain about my husband having to give up half of his 4 day weekend to go to a conference for the Army. Not only that, they had him work until almost 8pm last night. I am mad that my husband is home this holiday weekend and he still is not home.

3. One item I need to have in my fridge at all time is apples, my girls eat a bag of apples a day, I also always keep yogurt because it is a great snack for them.

4. My "life-saving" product is the comb I use on my hair, seriously if I ever find it at a store I will buy ten of them. It is a square pic, long and narrow. Only instead of thin plastic it is super thick. It is amazing and does not pull my hair.

5. A friend is someone who stays with you no matter what, who listens to you when you tell the same story day after day. Who does not listen what other people talk ill of you. Who tells you like it is when you are wrong. Who would clean your house when you can not

6. If I could write my own blank it would be I chose to be a stay at home mom or a working mom because: .7. My favorite kind of art is it starts with a P but today I can not remember the day. It look antique but is mostly country living kind of art. I am kind of addicted to it. Pamela

1. Do you apologize to your kids? All the time, when I have a bad day, when I do not do what I said I would.

2. What color are your nails right now? French tip for fingernails and pink for toes. I keep a French tip for my nails

3. When you were growing up, how difficult was it for you to stay home from school sick? (As in, did you have to vomit or just say "I don't feel good".) Super easy, honestly I think my mom preferred me being home. It did not take anything to have a excuse to stay home. But I did not miss often; I chose to go to school4. When is the last time you bought a new comforter for your bed?I made my first quilt a few months ago, normally every few years. I love to change things up. 5. Favorite website(s)? Let me think, websites not blogs. I love USAA, it is our bank and they ROCK. I also love swagbucks because I earn giftcards. Pamela

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Okay while my picture does not have pictures like she does on Once Upon a miracle. I have a similar story. Let me start by saying I have a crazy bruise on my leg. I remember a mosquito bite close by but nothing that would cause a bruise. Then last Monday I got out of the van and the door hit my shoulder. It hurt but I could not really complain because there was no bruise. All week it hurt, I hurt in silence. Finally on Saturday a bruise showed up. It is a long thin narrow bruise and I am proud of it. Okay so onto my story for the week. Let’s see about 9 years ago I went to the park with ladies from my MOPS group. I took a friend who was pregnant with twins. She had not been to MOPS before. So we arrive and set up our lawn chairs. The kids were running and playing. The playground had a zip line. At some point one of the teenage boys came over and asked the mom’s if they would do the zip line. Everyone declined, well everyone but me. He assured me it did not take upper body strength. So off I go. I took off across the zip line and guess what? I FELL!!!!! I did not just fall, I thudded, and the earth shook. No problem except the ground was covered in teeny tiny little rock pebbles. Luckily we had a nurse there who followed me to the bathroom and helped dig out these little pebbles. They were in the tops of my feet, in my knees and up and down my arms. I declined going to the hospital. I did however decide I should go home. So we left, I dropped my friend off at her house and went home. For the next couple of days I crawled through my house in pain. Wondering if I had broke every bone in my body. I have a habit of falling. I have a habit of not telling anyone when I am hurt. Next week I will tell you about my first injury in Preschool and how I did not tell anyone. I may even tell you about laying half naked in my son’s bathroom a couple of years ago because I fell. Pamela

Monday, May 23, 2011

These are so easy, I mean as in really easy!!!1. Slice 2 potatoes super thin2. spray a cookie sheet with Pam (haha)3. spread potatoes out in a single layer4. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes5. turn after 5 minutes6. Put sea salt on top of chips7. Eat

Oh so yummy! My girls said these are the best ever. I really am trying to have less things at my house. If I can buy potatoes and make bake potatoes, mash potatoes, fries and potato chips then that is a ton of little things I do not need (boxed mash potatoes, frozen fries and potato chips).Pamela

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Did you know that you can take a off post prescription to a on post pharmacy and they will fill it. It has saved us a ton of money. Sometimes I will just take it to Wal-greens because it is faster but if it is something I do not need instantly then I give it to my hubby to take on post. Consider being on two medicines and picking them up each month. That would be $18 a month. So by going to post I save myself $216. Pamela

This week I am feeling so blessed. My friend is feeling much better. I do have a request. A dear friend for church is in the hospital. She had a stroke several years ago and has been doing much better. She collapsed Wednesday night after church. They are still not for sure what happened. I have been reading a caringbridge page for a soldier. I do not remember who pointed me to the page. I read it with each update. I know about soldiers getting hurt. It is a real reality for me. But for some reason this one hits home, it makes the reality more real. Please pray for this young man as he recovers from injuries he received in war. You can visit his journal right here. Pamela

1. My girls are cleaning up right now, I conned them into cleaning up before Awana. It is our last one of the year. I am kind of bummed because I missed the adult Bible Study. All though I am excited to have our Sunday evenings at home. 2. My boys went camping and canoeing with boy scouts this weekend. My son had to hike 10 miles and was not happy about it. I told my husband when it is time to do the 20 mile hike he should not tell him about it until they are 10 miles out. 3. This was a strange weekend. I normally do not mind being home alone but Friday night I had a weird ADT guy knock on the door (ADT assures me they were legit). Then a teenager that I am pretty sure was high knocked on my door to mow my grass. I promised myself that the next time someone knocked on the door I was opening it with a gun in my hand. 4. My girls are getting taller. Last spring I got on a kick of making them skirts and now every time they put them on I am seeing more and more knee. I am kind of excited because they are fun to make and now I can make more.5. This pay day we have spent a ton of money eating out. I cannot believe how fast it can drain a checking account. 6. This week my girls attended our last American Heritage Girls meeting with this troop. I have to be honest and say I am sad and excited to be going to a new troop. I think the new troop will be great but I hate leaving a troop without feeling completely at peace about everything. 7. Is it normal that my ten year old can bend her knees fifty times and each time you hear them popping? It is so weird.8. Pamela

Saturday, May 21, 2011

We have been dealing with gnats for a couple of weeks. I have no idea why, we have no old fruit. My mother in law has the best solution. Mix half a cup of apple cider vinegar with a tablespoon of dishsoap and leave setting out. By the next day there will be no gnats. I do not know why they love this liquid mixture but they do. Do you see all the little black things, those are gnats. It did not seem like there were that many. This was in my bathroom. Who get's gnats in there bathroom and if so how? Now they are in my kitchen AGAIN. So I have the same mixture in my kitchen window. I just hope once they are gone, they stay gone because it is driving me batty.Pamela

How do you get a child to have perfect laying hair. 1. wake up2. put them on something that looks decent and fits her3. Drive to see Mrs. Lindsie4. Let Mrs. Lindsie wash and dry her hair5. Let Mrs. Lindsie cut it into a little bob for the first time6. Let her straighten and poof it up7. Then take a picture of her

Friday, May 20, 2011

Have you ever?? Listened to a amazing music group while eating lunch. The man playing the saxophone was like known I have heard. Have you ever saw your pastor this excited as he talked to his congregation?Have you ever had a picnic with a group of people who are like minded. Have you ever let your kids set at the feet of your Chaplain and hear about the Word of God?Have you ever stood in the park by a road and lifted your hands and sang songs of praise?Have you ever? I can officially say I have and it was amazing. I did not get pictures of the clown or the pig or dalmation. This was the best way to spend a Sunday morning. Pamela

1. What is one of the things you always do special when your husband returns from a deployment? submitted by Keep Calm and Soldier On you mean other than a list of things that needs to be fixed. Honestly some of the things we do are take time to just be together, go on picnics. He always takes the kids fishing.

2. What do you do to help your spouse and/or yourself re-adjust after a deployment or long separation? submitted by Diapers, Dogs and DeploymentsI make sure he knows where things are, I am constantly moving things and it is horrible to come into a house and not know where the extra shampoo is. I try not to expect anything from him. I try not to ask too much of him.3. Are you a crazy coupon clipper (I’m becoming one, so share your secrets with me)? submitted by Married My AirmanI wish, I want to be, I just need to know how. I understand how to get the coupons. It is the how they double them and make them work on sale prices that confuses me. 4. What’s your most treasured memory of you and your spouse (not counting your wedding – that’s a given)? submitted by Scrubs, ACUs and One Crazy Ride Several years ago we left the kids with friends and went to Holiday World together. It is a amusement park. I remember we were sword fighting down the side walk. It was so much fun to just relax and have fun together.

5. If you could live anywhere overseas, what would you pick and why? submitted by Little Moments Like This Germany, I loved living there. I would love to take my kids back now that they are old enough to have fun and do school on the run.Pamela

1. Do you and your spouse go to bed at the same time? Sometimes, it is funny that 3 years ago I was always the first in bed. Now I have a hard time getting to sleep so he goes to bed earlier than me. I really try to be in bed when he goes because it bugs him if I do not.

2. A question for the ladies...What kind of facial hair do you like on your man? None, zero, zip, nada none. I do not think I have ever kissed a guy who has facial hair

3. What's the worst vacation you've ever taken? Our honeymoon, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. From driving up and down the street for 2 hours looking for our hotel. The hotel that obviously did not look like the brochure. The bats flying over the pool. It was so comical that I could not get mad.

4. What's the first-ever blog you followed? Mckmama,still one of the first ones I check. Even after getting bashed on my blog for it.

5. Do you enjoy amusement parks? Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. Maybe a little less now that we take kids with us. It seems like I end up standing with babies. I love to go to amusement parks with my husband. It is like we become kids again. Pamela

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Can I just say I do not like when one of my children are grounded to there rooms. It has only Happened a few times. I want to run upstairs and say please come down, you can be ungrounded. But then said child would want on video games and I would still miss him.How do you handle a child being grounded in your home.Pam

This is for a friend who taught me to make homemade fudge rounds and so many other wonderful things. do you remember the gold star they gave out in elementary school? Do you know anyone else who deserves one. I copied this picture from google images.Pamela

OPSEC

OPSEC- Just a reminder that anytime I speak of my hero I am changing the time and date of the events. If I say he is flying right now it was probably a week ago. I will never give out exact times and dates. Please understand this is for his safety and his units safety and not to mislead my readers. Please help me follow OPSEC by not asking for exact dates or information.

Petrie Soaps and Stuff

All of our soaps are made using milk from our beautiful goats and are made by my husband and I.

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My Hero

Rob and I have been married 15 years. He is my hero. Rob is a Warrant Officer in the army. I so look up to this man. He is brilliant. I could not ask for a better husband or father. He is the spiritual leader of our family. I am so blessed to have this man in my life and thank God for him daily.

Michael

Michael is almost 20 years old. No longer my little boy who needs mom to make his PB&J. He is currently a student at Pensacola Bible College studying to be a Evangelist. He still enjoys video games and hanging out with friends.

Faith

Faith is my beautiful 16 year old. She teaches me daily how to love myself and others. She loves to help with the little kids She loves to sing and dance and would not be caught in public without make up and jewelry. Faith is Faith, she does not try to impress anyone

Hope

Hope is my fiesty 14 year old. Hope loves anything that has to do with animals. She is happiest when she is outside with the goats and chickens. She loves to help in the church nursery. She is as tall as her momma and still growing.

Grace

Grace is 11 years old and is my special blessing. Grace was born at 2.12 pounds and was in a hurry to get here. She has been non stop since then. She loves being the baby and makes sure everyone knows it

Jason

Jason is 8 . His favorite things to do are to help me clean up and to eat. If you ask him what he wants to do he says I want to go grocery shopping.

James

James is and a joy to be around. He loves to snuggle and be told that he is doing something right.

Jacob

My precious newest blessing. Born September.

A.C.U.

A C U is the newest addition to our family. She was a stray and found her way (through a friend) to our home. She is so adorable and the kids were instantly in love with her

Chickens

When we bought our farm house (okay farm is not really true) we decided we would get chickens. My amazing hero agreed to 10 and some how we ended up with 21. I have been told that is called chicken math.

Goats

I have to be honest, I love my goats. If it was up to me I would have them walking around the house. We have two for milking and one for meat. Next year we should have three for milking. Although the thought of my baby girl getting pregnant is hard for me.